CHINADAILY.COM.CN
12 April 2017
By Xi Rao
The Dalai Lama's recent visit to "Arunachal Pradesh", as it is called by its illegal Indian occupiers, has once again put the Southern Tibet region of China in the spotlight. The region was separated from China by the so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Simla Accord, a treaty that was never validated.
Even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's "sovereignty" over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed. He called Southern Tibet "Arunachal Pradesh" in his memorandum to then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. He said in an interview with local media during his visit to the region in 2003 that "Arunachal Pradesh" is part of Tibet. In 2008, he said in an interview with The Times of India that the McMahon Line is "a legal border", and "Arunachal Pradesh" is India's territory. In 2009, in spite of the Chinese government's opposition, the Dalai Lama visited the region under the name of a trip of reminiscence.
His latest visit to the region, at the invitation of the Indian government, shows that he can't wait to give away Tawang district, the holy land of China's Tibet where the sixth Dalai Lama was born, in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group. His trip is testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace.
Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama and the predecessor of Tenzin Gyatso, or the current 14th Dalai Lama, said clearly in 1930, three years before he passed away: "The British people indeed showed their will to tempt me. But I know sovereignty must not be lost." His principle of "not getting close to the British, and not betraying the central government" is well known. Tenzin Gyatso should finish his predecessor's unfulfilled cause. Instead, he wants to sell the land to a foreign country.
The Dalai Lama is betraying the Tibetan people. Southern Tibet is the holy land in the hearts of Tibetan people, and has inalienable connections in religion, ethnicity, culture and history with the rest of Tibet. The Memba people and others living in the region have a similar culture and traditional customs as Tibetan people, and are blood compatriots with the Chinese people.
Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China.
Last, but not least, the Dalai Lama has betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither. China and India have engaged in border issue negotiations for more than 20 years, which has yet to yield any final conclusion. Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lama's eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his master's favor.
Incomplete statistics show he has described himself a "son of India" more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a "son of India" by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability.
One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker.
The author is a Beijing-based commentator on international studies
New Delhi
'hindustantimes'
12 April 2017
Parliament strongly condemned on Wednesday a statement by a BJP youth wing leader who announced a Rs 11-lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Centre saying the state government is “free to take legal action” against him.
Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, triggered a controversy after saying Banerjee does not allow processions and fairs during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti though she organises Iftar party and always supports Muslims.
The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress members even as all major political parties and the government condemned the statement.
In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.
Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Trinamool member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said the BJP youth activist publicly described West Bengal CM as a “demon” and announced the bounty.
Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the incident, saying “a constitutionally elected CM has been described as demon”.
He said the Centre was trying to “unleash a reign of terror” in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.
Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “I strongly condemn such type of statements (read Varshney’s remarks). State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue”.
“On such people action can be taken under the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course,” the deputy chairman said, adding “you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that”.
BSP supremo Mayawati termed it a “serious matter” and said “BJP should not just condemn the statement but should also take action.”
Other opposition parties, including the Congress, Left and the Samajwadi Party, also supported the TMC on the issue and condemned the incident.
Jaya Bachchan of the SP said there was a need to take “aggressive” steps for the protection of women. “You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities,” she added.
“How dare somebody talk like this”, especially against a woman CM particularly when women are feeling insecure. “Is this the way you are going to protect women,” Bachchan asked.
BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and “I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The chief minister who is also a women should answer this”.
In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader’s bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.
“She is an elected chief minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it,” Kumar said.
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. “This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint,” she said.
Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day’s business, TMC member Saugata Roy said: “Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected chief minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroots leader and government must take action on it.”
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such an incident must not happen anywhere.
“A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty,” Kharge said.
West Bengal – where Banerjee returned to power with a thumping majority last year – has seen mounting clashes between state forces and right-wing elements, who say the Trinamool Congress is biased towards Muslims and is anti-Hindu.
BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargiya said he did not agree with Varshney’s remarks although there was anger against Mamata Banerjee for her politics of appeasement.
Moscow
11 April 2017
(Xinhua)
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a U.N. investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country.
"We intend to officially address a relevant UN structure in the Hague and call on the international community to investigate thoroughly this incident, and to take a balanced decision depending on the results of the investigation," Putin said at a joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
A reported April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Province in northwestern Syria killed at least 70 civilians and wounded scores of others.
Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.
The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defense Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.
The United States launched last Thursday 59 cruise missiles against a Syrian air base, from which airplanes allegedly carrying chemical weapons took off.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that nine civilians, including four children, were killed and about 10 others were wounded in the attack.
Putin said Moscow had information from different sources that such "provocations" were being prepared in other regions of Syria including in southern outskirts of the capital Damascus, where "some substances" would be thrown in and the official Syrian authorities would be blamed for their use.
Putin said that the developments reminded him of the events of 2003, when representatives of the United States demonstrated in the UN Security Council toxic substances, allegedly found in Iraq to justify an invasion in that country.
"After this the military campaign began in Iraq, which ended in a destruction of the country, an increase of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the Islamic State (IS) in the international scene," Putin said.
Mattarella said at the press conference that Rome maintained the necessity of finding a solution for the Syrian crisis "on the basis of a dialogue at different levels between the Syrian parties, between regional players and within the international community".
He also expressed hope that Moscow and other powers would be able to use their influence to avoid repetition of gas attacks in Syria.
"Of cause it is necessary to find the guilty and persecute them. We hope that what has happened will make all the participants in the crisis, including the most influential, do everything in their power to overcome the current intolerable situation," Mattarella said speaking through an interpreter.
The press conference took place as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
US Department of Defense
Press Operations
10 Apr 2017
The U.S. military strike against Shayrat airfield on April 6 was a measured response to the Syrian government’s use of chemical weapons.
The president directed this action to deter future use of chemical weapons and to show the United States will not passively stand by while Assad murders innocent people with chemical weapons, which are prohibited by international law and which were declared destroyed.
The assessment of the Department of Defense is that the strike resulted in the damage or destruction of fuel and ammunition sites, air defense capabilities, and 20 percent of Syria’s operational aircraft. The Syrian government has lost the ability to refuel or rearm aircraft at Shayrat airfield and at this point, use of the runway is of idle military interest.
The Syrian government would be ill-advised ever again to use chemical weapons.
Doha
11 Apr 2017
(Sidra)
Sidra, in collaboration with Cochlear Middle East, recently demonstrated a new milestone with a life changing moment for a young patient born with Treacher Collins Syndrome. The child, Osman, was able to hear conversational speech and quiet sounds for the first time – giving him a renewed chance towards improving his learning and developmental skills to be in line with other children his age.
Treacher Collins syndrome is a rare, inherited condition that stunts the growth of the bones and other tissues of the face, resulting in underdeveloped cheekbones and jawbones. Most children also have underdeveloped ear canals and abnormally shaped ears which contributes to hearing loss. The condition affects approximately 1 in 10,000 births worldwide1. Approximately 30 per cent of children with the syndrome have a cleft palate, and half of all affected children suffer from hearing loss2.
Osman’s treatment and care relies on a multidisciplinary approach involving the support and expertise of a number of different healthcare teams across Sidra – including audiology, ENT, plastics craniofacial and child life development. He was first referred to Dr. Patrick Sheehan, Sidra’s Division Chief of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Head and Neck surgery. Following which, Osman was referred to the Audiology Clinic where his hearing loss levels were assessed.
Dr. Sheehan said, “Osman’s condition meant that he was unable to hear properly as he had a 60 decibel moderate to severe hearing loss. A conventional behind-the-ear hearing aid would not have been effective. He needed a proven solution that has successfully helped children who are born with the same condition. In his case, it was a Baha® 5 sound processor fitted with the Softband which is manufactured by Cochlear.”
Osman was Sidra’s first audiology patient to be fitted with the Baha Softband device. To watch the video of his reaction after having the device fitted at the Sidra Audiology Clinic
Doha
11 April 2017
Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Qatar’s iconic social landmark, announced today its recent award for exceptional food quality and safety in FSSC 22000.
FSSC 22000 is the Global Certification Scheme for Food Safety Management Systems recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is based on existing ISO standards. Sheraton Grand Doha was awarded accreditation by Bureau Veritas INTL Doha LLC and are honored to be the company’s first certified organization worldwide for FSSC 22000 Version 4 Catering scheme.
This is of special significance as Bureau Veritas is a world leading testing Inspection and certification company, with headquarters in Paris, and operates in more than 140 countries across the globe.
Speaking of their new global certification, Belal Al-Kadry, Hotel Manager at Sheraton Grand Doha, said: “Food safety and elevated customer service has always been a priority for the Sheraton Grand Doha. This award demonstrates the hotel’s robust Food Safety Management System which ensures the team deliver guaranteed customer satisfaction.”
Food safety is an issue that is continually on consumers’ minds. Over the years, many regional and customized food safety standards have evolved to enhance food safety and address the issues raised by manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and consumers.
FSSC 22000 is the most comprehensive food safety management systems as it fully incorporates ISO 22000:2005, ISO22002 Part 2 Pre-requisite Programs (PRPs) for catering, HACCP, and the application steps of CODEX. It enables food and beverage outlets to reduce food safety hazards, promote continuous improvement, foster legal compliance and increase transparency throughout the food supply chain.
Speaking about the accreditation Selim Kseib, Country Chief Executive of Bureau Veritas Doha stated “We are very pleased Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel are our first client globally to receive FSSC 22000 Version 4 Catering Scheme Certificate.”
Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel offers 10 food and beverage outlets. Its new accreditation strengthens its established reputation within the marketplace while enabling guests to enjoy complete piece of mind.
Tokyo
11 April 2017
(PNA/Sputnik)
Japan's Defense Minister said US deterrence was necessary for peace and stability in the region.
The threat of chemical weapons proliferation and use is posed not only by Syria, but also by North Korea, Japan's Defense Minster Tomomi Inada said Tuesday.
"The threat of proliferation and use of weapons of mass destruction [WMD], such as nuclear weapons and chemical weapons, is not only problem of Syria. It might happen in East Asia, in North Korea," Inada was quoted as saying by the Kyodo news agency.
Tomomi Inada said that the US deterrence was necessary for peace and stability in the region.
The statement comes following the decision taken on Saturday to send US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson and its strike group to Korean peninsula from Singapore.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump's national security adviser Herbert McMaster stressed that a preventive strike against North Korea would be legitimate, since the fact that Pyongyang possessed nuclear arms was unacceptable, adding that Trump asked military to be prepared for ‘full range of options’ to eliminate the threat from North Korea.
The military build up near Korean peninsula comes against the background of a US missile strike on a Syrian military airfield in Homs province carried out on Thursday as a response to a suspected chemical attack in Syrian province of Idlib on April 4 that killed over 80 people and was allegedly launched by the Syrian government.
Damascus refuted allegations, while Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that the Syrian air force hit a terrorist warehouse that stored chemical weapons slated for delivery to Iraq. On Thursday, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) launched the investigation into the incident.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that groundless accusations in the chemical weapons incident in Syria's Idlib were unacceptable before the investigation into the matter had been carried out, while Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday criticized the US missile attack as a violation of the international law.
Doha
11 April 2017
Embassy of Brazil in Qatar in collaboration with Katara Cultural Village has organised ' Roots – Festival of the Latin American and Caribbean countries' to be held on 18th of April 2017 in Art Studio Building No. 19, Katara Cultural Village, Doha.
Official inauguration will be held at 0700 PM on Tuesday 18th April 2017. It will be followed by Ecuador Concert in Building 16, Drama Theatre.
Rawalpindi, Pakistan
10 April 2017
Indian RAW Agent / Naval officer 41558Z Commander Kulbushan Sudhir Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 through a Counter Intelligence Operation from Mashkel, Balochistan, for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan.
The spy has been tried through Field General Court Martial (FGCM) under Pakistan Army Act (PAA) and awarded death sentence.
Today COAS, Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa has confirmed his death sentence awarded by FGCM.
RAW agent Commander Kulbushan Sudhir Jadhav was tried by FGCM under section 59 of Pakistan Army Act (PAA) 1952 and Section 3 of official Secret Act of 1923. FGCM found Kulbushan Sudhir Yadhav guilty of all the charges. He confessed before a Magistrate and the Court that he was tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organize espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi.
The accused was provided with defending officer as per legal provisions.
In March last year, authorities released a video in which the Indian spy confessed to New Delhi’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities in Balochistan. He revealed that he had been directing various activities in Karachi and Balochistan "at the behest of RAW", the Indian intelligence agency, and that he was still with the Indian Navy.
"By 2002, I commenced intelligence operations. In 2003, I established a small business in Chabahar in Iran," he admitted. "As I was able to achieve undetected existence and visits to Karachi in 2003 and 2004. Having done some basic assignments within India for RAW, I was picked up by RAW in 2013 end".
He said his purpose was to meet Baloch insurgents and carry out "activities with their collaboration".
Doha, Qatar
10 April 2017
Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA), in cooperation with ADNAR Group, today announced hosting the 34th International Competition for the Global Management Challenge (GMC), which runs from 10 to 12 April 2017. An awards ceremony will be held on 12th of April at Hotel Shangrila Doha, whereas, competition is being held in Hotel Rotana City.
The 2016 edition of GMC’s International Final will see strong competition between teams from countries including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Kuwait, Macao, Mexico , Morocco, People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Spain, and United Arab Emirates.
The GMC was founded in Portugal in 1980. In Qatar, it was launched in 2013. Teams representing around 24 countries including Qatar are participating in the 1st Int'l competition hosted by Qatar is also first time in the region. The competing teams have previously won the championship title in their homeland or regionally, and are now participating in Doha to compete for the international title. The winning team will be announced on Wednesday, 12 April 2017. In recent years, the winners of the International Finals have been from Eastern European countries, especially Russia and Ukraine. While Macau won the prestigious title in the 2007 edition, the People's Republic of China claimed the title several times and is one of the strongest competitors.
On the first day, the semi-finals will take place, where the participating teams will be divided into four groups. They will be given information about the company they will manage, and they should make five sets of decisions that day. In the final round, which starts the following day, the best two teams from each group will compete, and the best of the eight finalists will be crowned as the International GMC Winner of the Year.
Press Conference was addressed by Randa Haidar, Managing Director of ADNAR Group, Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Horr, CEO of QFBA, Luis Alves Costa, Founder of the Global Management Challenge, João Matoso Henriques, CEO, Global Management Challenge Int'l and Mian Muneer ud din, Managing Partner at Beaufort Associates FZ-LLC, the upcoming host of the International Final – to be held in Dubai.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Horr, CEO of QFBA (organizing partner), said “We are honored to be hosting the International Finals of the Global Management Challenge (GMC) – in collaboration with ADNAR Group – for the first time in Qatar and the Arab world in the competition’s history, which was launched 36 years ago. QFBA aims to deliver a global event that brings added value to the previous GMC International Finals that took place in some of the world's largest capitals, and we are very excited to welcome the winning national teams in Doha.”
Luis Alves Costa said ' We hope that this event will contribute to the personal development and growth of future business leaders in Qatar'.
Randa Haidar, Regional Organizer of the event said ' As an enterprise, we realize the different aspects of the requirements and needs of international and local businesses. Which is why, ADNAR Group will make every effort to transform this exceptional event into an extraordinary success'.
Mian Muneer ud din, Managing Partner at Beaufort Associates FZ-LLC, the upcoming host of the International Final to be held in Dubai in 2018 said: “The ‘challenge’ competition will contribute to the development of the participants’ strategic management skills that are associated with all operations within the company, which is classified as one of the various human resource development training programs, in order to qualify and educate employees and students, thereby contributing to raising the efficiency of work and achieving job satisfaction.”
The competition went global back in 1981 in Brazil, and since then has continued to grow and spread until it
reached the aforementioned number of countries participating in the finals.
To date, more than 500,000 participants from all over the world, including university administrators and students, have taken part in the GMC competition. Companies and universities around the world consider the challenge to be an excellent training in strategy and management, since participants in this competition must work as a team and make decisions on a wide range of issues within their companies to get the best results.
The GMC competition is considered the biggest in the area of strategy and management for all the countries involved. The competition is constantly being updated to be the most sophisticated and realistic business simulation contest.